Summary
Arrowhead’sHelldivers 2launched with only a few weapons, but this lineup quickly expanded. The number of Marksman Rifles, for instance, has doubled since the game’s release. However, are these recent additions worth the hype, or are players better off sticking with theirR-63 Diligence? After all, how much better can the precision playstyle get in a game with such defined weak spots?
To answer that question, this list ranks each of the game’s marksman rifles by their damage, precision, and additional features. Players can also find suggestions for what else to pair with each Primary Weapon when creating their loadout. Keep reading to hear the verdict on which marksman rifle to take on the next mission.
Updated on January 22nd, 2025, by Abigail Angell:Players keep hoping for a new marksman rifle in Helldivers 2, and while they continue to be disappointed, the existing rifles have seen a variety of balance changes. Whether these are incidental to the armor changes, or Arrowhead is making the conscious decision to buff Marksman Rifles in the game, is still unclear. In any case, the top-ranked weapon on this list, the R-36 Eruptor, received a significant damage increase in the latest update.
4R-63 Diligence
A Beginner’s First Marksman Rifle
ThisR-63 Diligenceispretty easy to get early on, and is the go-to marksman riflefor players until they unlock something better (similar to the Liberator being the basic assault rifle). This gun is serviceable, with higher stopping power than other early weapons and exceptional long-range effectiveness.
Additionally, some players might enjoy the not-so extreme recoil and magazine size, which make it thebest option in the marksman rifle category for close quarters. However, this half-hearted commitment to the marksman rifle’s playstyle won’t benefit players on higher difficulties, where they’ll need more damage than the Diligence can provide. Instead, the ideal course of action is to choose a different marksman’s rifle and bringa high-tier sidearm(such as theP-19 Redeemer) for close-quarters fights.
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3R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper
Higher Firepower & Lower Magazine Capacity
R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniperis an upgrade from the standard Diligence in almost every way. It maintains the all-important scope function, while getting a significant damage buff, andmediumarmor penetrating rounds. The only spots where the Counter Sniper struggles are its slightly reduced magazine capacity and larger recoil. However, stopping power and amor penetration are so much more important in a marksman rifle than its recoil, that this is barely worth mentioning.
That being said, it is necessary tocompensate for the R-63CS Diligence’s poor handling at close rangewith a nimble alternative weapon. One option is the P-19, but this gun also fits wonderfully intoa Flamethrower Build, or with the Stalwart. In addition, optimal play with the Diligence Counter Sniper includes maintaining significant distance from enemies when possible, so plan to bring Stratagems for making space. Common options for this purpose inHelldivers 2include theEMS Mortar, EMS Strike,or theEagle Smoke Bomb.
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2JAR-5 Dominator
The Honorary Marksman Rifle
While theJAR-5 Dominatorisn’t technically tagged as a marksman rifle, the similarities in playstyle between it and the other weapons on this list have earned it a spot. This gun can be fired in either semi-automatic or burst fire mode, and is precise enough to hit targets atmedium to long range. Likewise, it can stagger enemies and features heavy damage and a small magazine capacity,rewarding precision over quantity.
Additionally, while it is tagged as having explosive rounds, this isn’t an AoE weapon. That means players can benefit from the extra damage without the typical friendly fire risk — it can even be used safely at close quarters. Unfortunately, it does suffer from a slow response time and long reload animation. Practiced players can shorten their reload time byreloading with one bullet still in the chamber, which skips one segment of the animation.
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1R-36 Eruptor
A Marksman Rifle With Explosive Rounds
R-36 Eruptor Riflefrom theDemocratic Detonation Warbondis the marksman rifle that has it all:medium armor penetration, explosive AoE bullets, incredible damage, and a scope. These features make it the best marksman rifle at taking out patrols or deadly enemies from a distance, and one of thebest weapons inHelldivers 2. It will kill most things in a single shot, but if it doesn’t, rest assured that the enemy will be staggered long enough to hit it again.
In addition to shredding Chargers and Devastators, the R-36 Eruptor also blows up spawners and containers. This, combined with the weapon’s scope, means users can take out Bot Factories and Bug Nests at impressive distances. The downside is the risk of the AoE damage backfiring.Many a Helldiver has perishedfrom this gun’s friendly fire. Additionally, it has one of the smallest capacities in the game, meaning reloads are a frequent occurrence.Bringing a backup gun for crowd control, such as the P-19 or Stalwart, is a must.Players may also find it helpful to bring an ammo backpack, to offset the smaller ammunition pool they will have with the Eruptor.
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Other Features
Because players don’t need their grenades to close spawn points while running the R-36 Eruptor, they should consider taking Smoke Grenades instead. This is especially helpful against bots, whose ranged attacks lose their supernatural accuracy in the presence of smoke.
